Glad that the surgery is done, & now you can get on with the job of healing. Take care, & God bless 
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WOW! It’s hard to tell which side had surgery at this point (except for the tell tale bandage). I hope your swelling stays low & the pain is manageable once you’re home. Please keep us posted as to how you’re doing.
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It is amazing that you don’t look like you have any swelling. So glad the surgery went well & I hope you have a quick recovery. My surgery with Dr. Omlie is on Jan. 20th.
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Good luck with your surgery! I definitely feel a bit of swelling but it’s much less than the first side thankfully. I’m glad Dr Omlie listened to my concerns and changed things up so I wasn’t dealing with allergies compounding healing.
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Both sides match now 
Swelling is mostly starting down, I’ve got an ice pack on intermittently to help. My nose and trachea are more raw this time. Also mom and I realized we set expectations a bit high. 
In August he said the surgery went better than expected, on Tuesday he said it went as expected.
We were wondering why healing seemed harder this time and it’s because it is different/harder. Looking forward to getting over this first week of healing.
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Hi anharris,
Yup. We are not perfectly symmetrical so it makes sense that most of us experience two different recoveries from bilateral ES surgery when done in two surgeries (vs one). I had a more complicated first surgery & a “textbook” second surgery from which I healed much more quickly & w/ less pain. I hope your first week flies by & you start feeling much better in the second post op week.
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LOL anharris.
I didnt know what to expect first time around and was pleasantly surprised except my TMJ jaw pain triggered by surgery. This 2nd time, I had hoped for no jaw pain. Generally that was much better but this time has been tougher this time . I know this side was longer and deeper into the neck and disturbed my tongue function. Im assuming because of length and deepness, its worst this time around. Also had pain swallowing the first week or two even though external. good luck on getting through this first week and congrats you made it thru. You look great!
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@anharris - How are you feeling? I have my surgery with Dr. Omlie this Wed. I’m starting to get nervous.
@naturelover I’m doing much better. I’m more mobile, though my neck is still tight. My jaw is also still sore, but I am eating better.
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Also here’s a pic of my scar from today.
There’s been much less swelling this time around. Don’t be afraid to advocate for yourself and ask any questions you may have. Also, I had to ask for a muscle relaxant because I carry a lot of tension in my neck. Don’t be afraid to ask for what you need to heal.
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That’s looking like it’s healing well! 
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@anharris - Glad to hear you are doing well & your recovery is progressing. Your scar is looking good. Have you used any creams on it or anything?
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Just coconut oil so far, and nothing directly on the incision as it’s still tender.
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Your incision looks GREAT! Thanks for sharing a picture with us. 
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Looking good Anharris! I had less swelling and discoloration this time around too. I have been getting some great neck work from massage/pt people to help with that neck tension. It really has helped. I did wait until about 1 month after surgery and gently started working it.
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Hey everyone! I’m almost 2 months out from my second side surgery and healing well.
Question though - would nerve irritation from the surgery cause hearing issues? My left ear is still tingly on palpation (which I know is to be expected since nerves were stretched during surgery). I took an adaptive hearing test on my phone and there also seems to be a mild inability to hear low tones on the left side. I know this is not a diagnostic tool but just wondering if I should bring it up to my dr or wait until the tingling has gone away.
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Hi anharris!
So good to hear from you & see how well your incision has healed! You’re right that the tingly sensation may continue for some months. As far as your hearing goes, it could be a side effect of nerve irritation from surgery, but my opinion is to be on the safe side, make an appt w/ your ENT & get a real hearing test. Please update us if you do that. Hopefully it will resolve as your nerves heal.
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I do have reduced hearing one side which I think is from ES, it was checked at my follow up appt after surgery.
I had tingly ears for quite a while after surgery, & 5 years on still get a weird sort of whoosh sensation up the outside of both ears if anything makes me jump! Funny, but it does remind me of how lucky I’ve been to have 2 successful surgeries!
I hope that it does go for you, & your scar is looking really good!
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Your incision looks great & is healing so nicely. It seems likely that hearing loss can happen from the surgery. Especially since they are cutting & doing all that with the facial nerves so close. I hope it improves. How are your other symptoms that you had before your surgeries?
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Everything else has improved, which is making driving and skating easier.
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